Monday, November 21, 2016

WE ARE JUST SO READY TO MOVE ON AND BEGIN A NEW CHAPTER, BUT……………………

Despite it being overcast Sunday morning I knew both Pheebs and I were needing a change of scenery and something different to do. Brewed myself up a coffee, heated up one of our Safeway blueberry muffins, tossed the cameras in the Jeep and off we went. Without all the abundant roads of Bayfield’s Huron County back home it’s always a challenge where to go here. Picked a route we had done just a few days ago but only we did it in the opposite direction. Congress to Stanton, picked up the Old Staged Coach Road and slowly chugged our way up the Weaver Mountains to Yarnell and back to Congress. Not a lot of anything new to see but it was just nice to be out putt-putting along on some quiet old dusty roads just like we so often do back home during the summer months in Bayfield………..

HEADING NORTH UP OLD STAGECOACH ROAD

LOOKING BACK SOUTHWARD TO THE ROAD WE HAVE JUST TRAVELED

WOULD LIKE TO STAND HERE DURING A HEAVY MONSOON RAIN TO WATCH THE WATER CASCADING DOWN THAT DRY WASH ON THE LEFT

PHEEBS WANTED TO STOP AND SEE HER COW PALS SO THAT’S WHAT WE DID

ONE JUST NEVER KNOWS JUST WHAT’S AROUND THE NEXT BEND IN ONE’S LIFE

WHERE WE’RE GOING

WHERE WE’VE BEEN

ENJOYING SOME AUTUMN SCENERY ALONG THE WAY

STOPPED AT A SCENIC OUTLOOK WE WATCH A COUPLE RV’S CAREFULLY DESCENDING DOWN THE LONG WINDING YARNELL HILL

FROM THE SAME SCENIC LOOKOUT WE WATCHED A FEW CARS ASCENDING UP THE 2 LANED YARNELL HILL

We’re doing Okay but this whole ‘house sale’ thing is turning out to be very stressful for us. We are so ready to move on and begin a new chapter in the life and times of The Bayfield Bunch but until our house sells we have to patiently bide our time…………………..

GROANER’S CORNER:)) Joe sets up Michael to go on a blind date with a friend of his. But Michael is a little worried about going out with someone he's never seen before. "What do I do if she's ugly?" says Mike, "I'll be stuck with her all night." "Don't worry." Joe says, "just go up to her door and meet her first. If you like what you see, then everything goes as planned. If you don't, just shout Aaaaaauuuggghhh! and fake an asthma attack." So that night, Mike knocks at the girl's door and when she comes out he is awe-struck at how beautiful and sexy she is. He's about to speak when the girl suddenly shouts, "Aaaaaauuuggghhh!"

Sympathy from these parts. Just do your best to enjoy each day. And it may help to remember that our days are numbered. Better to search out some ways to make them "happy days" instead of letting them go to waste because you are feeling bored. I know. Easy to say, but not to do!!! I hope your wait ends soon.

I like what David Davis said...to go on with enjoying your life, and let the Realtors take care of things. Sometimes, I think if we assume the roles of what we wish to create in our lives, we open up greater pathways for things to fall into place.

I suspect you are having anxiety issues Al. In Bayfield, you are antsy to take a drive each day. Then antsy to get the RV on the road again. Then you made the fastest trip to Congress as possible after quick visits to NY and Aunt Jean in FL. There were so many places to explore along the way that you zoomed by. Just my view from reading your posts. How does Kelly feel about it?

Kelly feels the same way I do about most things and that's why things generally work so well between us. We are basically always on the same page. Because I am the guy who writes the blog it is my thoughts, feelings, interests and opinions that are mainly expressed but unknown to readers is the fact that many of the things I talk about are jointly shared by Kelly as well. Not everybody likes stamp collecting, not everyone likes sky diving, not everyone likes touring museums and not everybody likes riding roller coasters. Some folks have reasons to get to where they're going quickly and some folks have reasons to take their time. You do what works for you and we do what works for us and it's all based on individual likes, priorities, and interests.........

You will figure out how to get the old enthusiasm back, but maybe you need a change of scenery? I know you love Arizona, but there are beautiful vistas, mountains, etc., in Montana and probably a lot of other states (New Mexico, Colorado, & Utah come to mind). After you sell your place in Congress, you might want to get out the old maps and look for new places for next year. You can always go back to AZ if you miss it too much.

How about takin' EEE on a couple neat 2-3 day trips to somewhere you haven't explored..You would be close enough to your house to get back if something breaks..and gazing at those beautiful night stars of the West is a total stress reliever...Hugs, to you and yours, stargazer man!!!

Al, you got a nice motorhome which will carry you where ever you wanna go. If you wanna go then do it to your heart's desire. That house isn't going to sell any faster if you hang around there. You got a cellphone and email. If anybody wants to see the place they'll contact you, and you make out a meeting time. That would be all it takes. Now, enjoy the beautiful surroundings and the comfort of your house.

It's a great house, you have really given it the TLC it needed. I'm surprised you even want to sell it. Seems like the perfect bivouac for your trips in the West you so truly love. After a long and fun field trip, what better place to return to, relax and regroup. Blessings and best wishes to you, Kelly and Pheebs for a great holiday season and 2017. Love you guys!

AL'S CAMERA EQUIPMENT

A sometimes asked question readers have about my blog is what kind of a camera do I use. Well I have 8 of them and use them all. Five Nikon DSLR's, two quality Sony point and shoots plus one older Canon point and shoot.

'UPDATE':: July 2017 Thanks to a very generous blog reader I have been able to update my Nikon camera equipment and supplement my camera gear with a couple additional fine Sony cameras as well.I now have a 'donated' Nikon D7200 sporting my new Nikkor 18-300 3.5 zoom lens. Also have picked up a new Nikkor 1.8 primary 35mm lens. In addition I also now have a Sony RX100-3 camera as well as a Sony Exmore Cybershot. I have given my Canon Powershot point and shoot camera to a neighbor.

- In early 2017 I replaced my Nikon D-90 camera with a new D-3400 after the 'auto focus' feature on my aging D-90 quit working. The Nikon D-90 had been my work horse camera sporting a Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens. I used this camera for most of my landscapes and I now have it set up for night photography where 'auto focus' is not necessary.

-My older faithful and favorite Nikon D-40 finally packed it in during the summer of 2015 and I replaced it with a new Nikon D-3100.

- Previous to my Nikon D-90, most of my photos were taken with my old faithful Nikon D-50 from 2006 to early 2011 whereupon the D-50 suffered a rather gruesome death when it fell off a table onto a cement porch in southeastern Arizona. The 70-300mm lens on the camera survived the fall but the D-50 did not. My Nikkor lenses are interchangable between the D-90 the D-3100 and the D-3400.